A crowded schedule Saturday puts the first lady in New Hampshire, Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota.

President Bush was in South Dakota on Thursday and is return to the state Sunday to campaign for Rep. John Thune, who is running for the Senate against Democratic incumbent Tim Johnson. Mrs. Bush will join up with her husband on Sunday and campaign with him until Tuesday, when they vote near their ranch in Crawford, Texas, before returning to the White House to monitor election returns.

Minnesota is another political battleground, with Republican Norm Coleman and former Vice President Walter Mondale competing for the seat of the late Democrat Sen. Paul Wellstone. Republicans in Minnesota also are in tight races for governor and a House seat.

In New Hampshire, there is a close Senate race between Democratic Gov. Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Rep. John Sununu.

There are three competitive House races in Iowa. Democrats have opened leads in races for Senate and governor.

Mrs. Bush campaigned in Iowa during the 2000 presidential election, when the state's caucuses opened the voting season.

The first lady has headlined a handful of fund-raisers, but has not been deeply involved in the White House strategy to help Republican's retain control of the House, regain the Senate and minimize possible GOP losses in statehouses.